Car wrecks are never an easy experience, and they have the potential to significantly impact a person’s life emotionally, physically, and financially. While there are many concerns you might face in the aftermath of a crash, few are as important as your health. No matter the type of collision, and even regardless of how you feel or think you might feel, you should always make your health and physical well-being a priority after being involved in a car accident.

At The Daspit Law Firm, our Beaumont car accident attorneys have worked with many auto accident victims across Texas. Over the years, we have seen just how important it is for victims to seek timely medical evaluations after collisions, not only as a means to protect themselves and their legal right to compensation, but also to ensure that they receive the medical care they need to make a recovery.

If you or someone you love has been involved in a car accident – whether you were taken to a hospital, treated at the scene, or went without medical attention – we urge you to seek an appointment or a follow up with your doctor. Many victims involved in auto accidents may feel okay initially, but serious complications and injuries can take time to present themselves. Other victims may forgo treatment altogether, thinking that they can tough it out and get better on their own. Unfortunately, this elevates the risk of not treating a serious injury which can become worse over time.

Questions You Should Ask Your Doctor

When you do decide to see a doctor for an evaluation following a car accident, what you say and do is important. After all, your account of what happened and how you feel can aid the doctor in making assessments about your health and treatment options, and providing you with the information you need. Below are a few important things you should discuss with your physician following a car wreck:

What are my injuries?

Asking your doctor about your injuries will require some help from you, including a discussion regarding the nature of your accident, what your felt during the collision, and any symptoms or pain you may be experiencing now. With this information, a medical professional can gauge what types of diagnostic tests may need to be use, such as an X-ray or MRI, in order to determine the underlying injuries. In some cases, your doctor may refer you to a specialist for further review of your symptoms. This specialist may be able to help diagnose your injury and help begin a targeted treatment approach.

What are my treatment options?

When a medical professional is able to diagnose your injuries, they can create customized plans for treatment, or refer you to a specialist who can do so. Treatment will always vary depending on the unique facts involved, including how serious these injuries were. In some cases, nonsurgical treatment approaches can be effective in helping an accident victim recover. These include physical therapy, pain management, chiropractic, injections, and more. In others, surgery may be necessary. You have every right to discuss your available treatment options and understand what may be best for you, and a doctor or specialist can provide you with their professional recommendations about what to expect with treatment.

What is your prognosis?

Prognosis is a terms that refers to a medical professional’s opinion regarding your recovery. When you ask about your prognosis, your doctor can discuss what you can expect when it comes to pain and symptoms in the coming days, weeks, and even months. They can also shed light on what they expect of your recovery – for example, whether most people fully recover from the type of injuries you have in a matter of months, or whether it will take longer in your case. Understanding your prognosis and what to expect of your recovery can help you focus on your health in the coming weeks or months and also handle other issues or obligations that may be impacted by your recovery, including work.

Can you work?

Far too many car wreck victims go back to work too early. By speaking with your doctor about your job and the duties you perform, they can provide an opinion regarding your ability to work. In many cases, they can provide a note for your employer that excuses you from work. In others, they may inform you that work may not be possible for an extended period of time, especially in serious injury cases, or that you may need to modify or avoid certain work-related duties.

Seeking an evaluation and speaking openly with your doctor with critical to your health when you have been involved in any type of auto accident. It can also be a crucial factor behind your ability to file a personal injury claim and pursue financial compensation for injuries that were not your fault. This is because insurance companies are quick to point out when accident victims wait to seek medical treatment, saying that because they waited, they were not really hurt. Although this may not be true, it is a common tactic they employ, and one that can result in victims not receiving the compensation they need.

If you have questions about your rights after a car accident or how you can go about seeking medical treatment, contact The Daspit Law Firm for a FREE consultation. Our legal team is available 24/7, and offers home, hospital, weekend, and evening appointments.